The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-10-28
DRUNKEN Cables OF LONDON.

How q Lady Journalist Was Frightened
Almost to Death-Reckiess Driving.
Now that the season is over, the cabbie
are taken to getting drunk. They hav,
not much else to do, for one thing, ant
they make little money that 1 Suppose
they think will go farther in malt than il
meat. At any rate, two of them, in diff
ferent stages Of intoxication. have faller
to my lot lately, and with the first one
my life had nearly ended in a tragedy.
Twas going to little dinner in Pal
plebeian "growler,' as / feared the
draught in hanson. 1t is short sh:l
ling fare from Langham street to Pal
Mall, and to cave the trouble Of paying
when got there, / handed my man Q
shilling. He said: sits eighteen pence
to Pail Mall, and shan't go for no shil.
ling" please give him sixpence,
said, weakly, to my pretty landlady, who
was standing by. 'It's only shilling. u
she demonstrated. II know that, but
never mind, let him have his way"
fancied that thereby l should earn the
good will of my charioteer; but never was
| more mistaken.
He mounted his box and drove off in a
mad but purposeless manner. turning in
Vulnerable corners, and seemingly be-
wildering himself more and more at
every turn. AT last lie glared in at me.
"Wherever d'you say you was goin -
l repeated the address l had given him at
starting, distinctly and with emphasis.
He went on more recklessly than ever,
nearly overturned an omnibus or two,
barely cleared the cabs he met, turned
round his own numbering vehicle and
drove back ON his path, with no motive
whatever, and behaved so like a mad
man generally, that / was almost fright
ened to DEATH Then he glared in at the
window again, like d fiend, and howled:
"Whever did you say you was coin'?'
Again l told him, very distinctly in
deed; and again he whirled on, up and
down, back and forth, round and round,
until, after perilous Interval, he shouted
third time i'm at the window: "Why
don't you tell me where you're goin'?"
II have told you three times already
that am going to Garlant's hotel, Suf-
folk street, Pail Mall" answered, ''and
tell you now to stop this cab, for Iwant
to speak to policeman.
This word of terror must have galvan-
lied his drunken senses into life for a
moment, for he dashed his horses savagely,
and tore on through the gathering dusk,
until he brought up in Suffolk street,
half way up the street, at the head Of
which is Garlant's hotel. Then he stopped,
tumbled down somehow, and opened the
cab door. Drive to the hotel at the
top" l said, with all the dignity which
madness of terror had left at my disposal.
81 shan't go no farther" said my man,
San if you keep me stannin' Gro
you've got to pay for the time
81 have paid you sixpence more than
your fare already said, beginning to
get out, which seemed to me the wisest
thing could do under the circumstances.
"You amt paid me single penny" he
bawled, his drunken memory rs to that
little financial transaction having entirely
failed him. l got 10y him somehow,
hardly know how, and hurried on to the
hotel, pursued by his cries of you amt
paid me. / should think you'd be
hashamed ter live. You amt raid me a
single penny
Ny other drunken cabmcn, now I
think of it, | encountered before the sea-
son was over, ut jubilee time. and he
had had too many tips, 10 doubt, from
pleasure seekers. AT least he was good
natured. had been TO the theatre with
two ladies. They saw me into q four
wheeler and went on their own way,
and then came my perilous transit. Why
don't the Salvation Army or the blue
ribbon people ''go for" the cabmen and
convert them. for the benefit of the rest
Of us? On this particular evening my
man drove me as surely never woman
was driven in q four wheeler before. He
dashed his horse into frenzy. He
shouted and yelled as he drove, and
everything got out Of our way, as if we
were q steam engine. We got to Lang
ham street in safety, however, and some
how the man pulled up his horse and got
himself out and opened the door. He
was very amiable in his cups, and seemed
to wish to leave CT my mind good i'm
preston.
"Sphosc you was frightened fraid
you was. marm?" Il should think so, :" I
said. Il rever expected to get here
alive" II sphose so. marin, but you see
this 'oss is M cid racer, and when o gets
n goin' e thinks c's racin', and nobody
can't stop i'm. But e don't mean any
arm, not q bit. )" - Louise Chandler
Moulton's London Letter in Boston
JIo,alJ